The girls are home!!!

The girls are back down here in AZ with us!! We are so happy! Their dad drove down here to drop them off-which was nice because it meant NO driving for me-which is always a good thing, because we all know I don't do well on road trips.

The girls cuddled with me and then went up and took a shower. We did their hair and then Lizzie did a fashion show for me with some new school clothes. Halle didn't want to do the fashion show-she was just fine in 1 outfit-she didn't want to keep changing-actually I think she just wanted to get back up to playing her V-tech video game she hasn't played for a while.

It's so good to have the girls back! Our schedules are back to normal and school starts in about a week and a half. They are both so excited to go back to school. They both have not only missed us, but their friends too!

Here are a few pictures of Halle and Lizzie doing the fashion show.....enjoy.....

Aren't they cute??? I've missed em so much. They came home with cute little tan lines. They went swimming alot up in Utah. Fun times.

Our new piano

I have been looking for months on Craigslist for a piano. I started playing the piano when I was 4 years old and I love it! Since I moved to Arizona, I haven't played much at all. I miss it! We went and looked at a piano, but it was in terrible shape. Some people just have NO idea what a shame it is to damage a piano. So, I kept looking. I had no idea I would find the deal of a lifetime on Craigslist-but I did.

Steve headed to the gym this evening and I was cleaning up the house. I happened to look on Craigslist today and saw a piano for $100. It looked like it was in decent shape-but people put up really deceiving pictures when they want to sell something. I left a message with the lady anyway because for a hundred bucks, it was worth looking at anyway. She called me back and she gave me directions to her house to come see it. I called Steve and he left the gym early for me to go see this piano. I wanted him to come with.

We got there and when I saw the piano I was pretty excited because NONE of the keys were chipped or broken. There are 2 keys that don't work, but that's ok-they can be fixed. Well, I bought the piano right there for $100. She even threw in the piano lamp and some beginners books I can use with the girls when I start teaching them.

Steve called his cousins Leland and Trent. They came right over to this ladies house and they used their strong muscles to lift it in the truck and brought it to it's new home. It's now in the living room and I love it! I can't wait to get it tuned. I played it a little this evening and it's great.

What a bargain~!!! So I have a few people interested in taking piano lessons. I want to freshen up on my skills before I teach other students though. I will start Halle as soon as she wants-which will probley be the day she gets home from Utah. She has been wanting a piano for a while. Whenever we go to Steve's Aunt and Uncle's house, Halle loves to play the piano. She is ready for lessons. She will get on and start learning a primary song by ear. Talented girl. I hope Lizzie will fall in love with the piano too. I guess we will see.

Pioneer Celebration

We had the chance to go stay at Steve's grandma and papa's cabin this last weekend in Heber. The drive is only about 2 1/2 hours which isn't bad at all to escape from the heat. We left Friday after work. Saturday morning we got up and drove about a half hour to Snowflake for the annual Pioneer Celebration. I have no idea why they did it a week before. Anyhow, We went to the breakfast put on by the scouts and then walked a few blocks over to the parade. The parade was so much fun-but not as much fun as it would have been with kids. I think parades are totally for kids! At the parade we got a flier for a crafty boutique. So after the parade, we headed to the boutique at some ladies house. It has so many fun crafts. I love going to get ideas. We also headed to the cities Arts and Crafts Fair down at Pioneer Park. I came away with nothing. I got some ideas, but I didn't want to spend the money on stuff I could make. By this time, I was tired and it was HOT. Not as hot as Mesa, but it was up in the high 90's.

We headed back to the cabin to relax for a bit. There was no A/C in the cabin though, so I didn't get a good nap in. Later that evening we drove about 45 min to Pinetop to say hello to Steve's cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents who were up at the Burgess cabin. It was kinda fun visiting them away from Mesa.

From the cabin we drove to the Stake Center in Show Low for a pioneer celebration. Steve's cousin and his wife were part of putting this shin dig together. We had some great food and enjoyed a wonderful program. There was singing and dancing and story telling.

It was an enjoyable trip away from the heat. I just didn't want to come back to work today. Sorry the pictures are kinda in a random order.

One of the crafts that I want to make for my home.

Part of the Pioneer Celebration program

The program

Steve wanted to get a picture with the flag flying in the background. The skies look pretty grey, but it never rained! It was such nice weather. Steve before the presentation

They grilled some yummy hot dogs and hamburgers with homemade rootbeer.

I had to take this picture from the parade because it reminds me of all my brothers and dad back home who are always in that cage. This guy was doing all sorts of tricks. It was pretty cool.

I had to take this picture because as we were driving up on Friday night we were just leaving Payson heading to Heber and about 7-10 fancy cars like this were heading the same direction. They got ahead of us-so I kept saying to Steve that he needed to keep up with these cars. That was actually impossible. I guess our little Altima just couldn't keep up. The next morning in the parade, all the fancy cars were lined up and in the parade.